


Under Jack's Protection

by imanadultiguess



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alana and Hannibal are more of a side ship., Alpha!Jack, Alpha!hannibal, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, An ABO take on the episode "Su-zakana", Hand Jobs, I don't even know., I think there may be some Hannigram forming here, It's not really love, M/M, Mentions of unrequited Alana/Will feelings, Omega!will, Please do not read if you're looking for some Hannibloom action., This is a work in progress..., Will is in heat, and a bit manipulative, just obsession, sorry - Freeform, weird attempts at dirty talk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-05-15
Packaged: 2018-01-20 01:57:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1492480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imanadultiguess/pseuds/imanadultiguess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An ABO take on the episode Su-zakana.  Jack has recently bonded with Will.  Will flaunts it in front of Hannibal.  Perhaps Will shouldn't feel so safe under Jack's protection.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Heat

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: We’re pretending that Bella Crawford died after her suicide attempt...because I needed her out of the way. That being said, I’m really much fonder of her than a cis-het woman should be. This is soooo rough, y'all. I know it is. Please let me know how I can smooth the edges a bit.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Will and Jack came to be bonded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry, I decided there needed to be a chapter leading into Will and Jack’s arrival at Hannibal’s. Also, my interest in this fic wanes ridiculously. The night I started it, I was all about some Will/Jack. And now I’m sort of, like, not even feeling it. But I feel like I need to continue. Bare with me. Is it “bare” or “bear”? Bear with me. Let’s be bears together, you guys. 
> 
> Also, in this world, there are different grades of blockers, suppresants etc. OTC suppressants are like Advil. Once you feel the heat coming on you take something to quell it. OTC blockers cancel out the scent, but you still have a heat. It’s sorta like deoderant. These blockers also block Alpha scents and pheromones. Medical-grade suppressants are almost like depo-shots. You pretty much don’t have a heat. You get the shot every 6 weeks or so. I don’t know. I don’t know how long Will’s been out. Just...just enjoy the story. Medical grade blockers are essentially temporary chemical castration/frigidity. Alpha and omegas are essentially betas for, like, 6 weeks.

It started out innocently enough. Will could feel his body changing, could feel the little prickles across his skin, signifying that a fever was on the horizon and that his nerves would soon be on fire. 

Most omegas nowadays lamented their heats, if they decided to have them at all, but, being able to empathize with the twisted, sadistic and homicidal, Will was decidedly ambivalent about the “horrors” of estrus. Having amazing, hormone-driven sex was not that terrible. Since the encephalitis, though, his cycle had been off. Chilton had also kept him on medical-grade suppressants during his stay at the sanitarium. Once they’d been cleared from his system, Will guessed, this next heat would be particularly...strong. 

A perfect time to claim a mate. 

Will had his eyes on Jack Crawford. 

\-------

Alana bristled when Will opened the door to Jack’s office. Will immediately apologized, pulling the door shut. 

Jack bristled as well, but for a completely different reason. Will smelled different. No, not different...just more like himself. His natural scent had been amplified. Jack swore internally. Why the hell wasn’t he using blockers? He might as well be walking around doing a strip tease. 

“Uh, Will, come on in,” Jack raised his voice to penetrate the thick door. 

Alana glared at him. 

“Preheat,” Jack murmured to the Beta. 

She rolled her eyes. “You can’t keep babying him, Jack. He needs to be held responsible for his actions.” She didn’t bother lowering her voice.

Will couldn’t stop the grimace that crossed his face and extended to his shoulders. “Alana,” he said, looking to the ground. Despite everything, he still had feelings for the beta, but she’d made it clear even before his attempt to kill her current lover that she wasn’t interested. 

Alana never dropped her icy stare. “Graham.”

He tried to hide his sniff at the air. He knew she was sleeping with Hannibal. He wanted to know how thoroughly she hid it. Will couldn’t smell a single pheromone. No trace that she’d spent the night in Hannibal’s bed or vice versa. 

Jack frowned at the two of them. “Will, can I help you?”

“I wanted to talk to you before…” he nodded to Alana. Had Jack told her about the fishing trip? Would he even want to? Will assumed he hadn’t because no one wanted to hear the bitterness that laced her voice when she verbalized her disappointment. 

Alana refused to let that comment pass without commentary. “Before what, Jack?”

“We’re going fishing, Alana,” Jack answered after an agonizing pause. “I’m taking a long weekend.”

“I thought your bereavement period was up,” she snapped.

Jack sighed. The patience the alpha showed at Alana’s impromptu interrogation made Will feel warm. _Good, kind, long-suffering Alpha…_ Will took a deep breath, looking away at a painting on the wall. He snarled softly. Not only was it a present from Bella, it was a reminder of Bella. Will could not compete with a dead woman. 

“Alana, I don’t want to be your enemy. Will went through hell and he made some mistakes. It’s pretty important to note that Hannibal is still alive and that WIll hasn’t tried to kill him since his release.”

Alana nodded sarcastically. “Yeah, yeah, gold star, Will. Good for you. Keep up this streak of not murdering people, and maybe Jack will even give you your job back.”

Will winced again. His preheat was starting to reach that point where his desire to please was more active than normal. “I...I’m sorry, Alana. I thought…”

“It doesn’t matter--”

Will was grateful for Jack’s snarl, which instantly silenced Alana, though she still maintained her air of defiance. Truthfully, that had always been one of the things that Will had found attractive to her. Her strength and her conviction. Keeping quiet now had nothing to do with dynamic and everything to do with professionalism. 

The pang of resentment struck at Will’s heart quite suddenly. A beta like her didn't need an Alpha; she needed an omega. Someone to trust and rely on her. Someone to fight for. 

‘Remember why you’re here,’ Will told himself. 

He needed Jack Crawford. 

Alana rose to her feet. “Well, Jack, I suppose we’ll have to continue this conversation on Monday.” 

Once she was gone, Will waited to be asked to be seated, purposefully displaying omegan tendencies. Jack nodded to the chair where Alana had just been, and Will obeyed. 

“You know, you’re really not supposed to be in this part of the building. You’re really not supposed to be here at all, in fact.”

“Try to kill once psychiatrist and suddenly you’re out of the FBI,” Will teased, though the gravity of the situation never left his demeanor. 

His heart swelled with relief when Jack chuckled lightly. 

“What can I do for you, Will?”

“I, uh, well, Jack…”

Jack folded his hands atop his desk, never pushing Will, waiting as he stammered through his thought. When the younger man finally fell silent, Jack volunteered, “Do you want to postpone the trip? I really don’t mind. I’m still settling a few things with Bella’s parents.”

Will smiled weakly. He was starting to get warmer. “No, I just...there may an additional element to this trip than was originally planned.” His voice was getting softer. 

Jack sat back in his chair to digest what he thought Will was telling him. He rubbed chin thoughtfully. “To be clear--”

“I’m asking you to spend my heat with me. Not as a colleague or as a friend but as an Alpha.” Will blurted the words out before his brain could even reconcile what he was saying. Only when the Alpha got to his feet did Will recognize the seriousness of what had just slipped from his lips. 

Will bowed his head, partly in submission but mostly to hide his embarrassment. Jack took a seat beside the omega.

“Will? Will, look at me.” Will obeyed, his nature getting the better of him as his heat neared. “I think we can both agree that that is a terrible idea.”

\-------

All it took was a little nuzzle on the way out the door. Will hadn’t even intended to do it. It’s just...Jack’s scent as he held the door open...his voice stern as he tried to talk the rental agency into issuing a refund or a credit despite the late cancellation on the cabin. 

_Such a good Alpha. Taking such good care of me. Smells so good._

Will purred as Jack held the door open, and as he passed through the threshold…

Will rubbed his face gently beneath Jack’s neck, drawing in that rich, velvelty scent of Alpha. Like fresh coffee and campfires. So warm and comforting. The nerves beneath his skin jumped, urging him to wrap his arms around the Alpha, to seduce the Alpha…

_Make him yours. Make him want to own you. Show him how much you appreciate his presence. His protection._

Jack’s protection. Will needed Jack’s protection. 

This wasn’t solely hormonal. It was professional and personal. Will needed protection. From Hannibal, from lawyers, from Lounds, from Alana’s anger and disappointment, from everything that had happened since the death of Garrett Jacob Hobbs. 

And yet, all of those major worries were falling second to Will’s need to secure an Alpha for the next few days. _And Jack Crawford smelled so good, felt so good...even the beating of his pulse in his neck sounded good. Soothing. Pleasing. Safe._

_Oh my God, Jack, take me home._

He heard Jack’s soft gasp at the touch. “Will, do I need to take you home?”

Will’s eyes glazed over. Everything seemed cloudy and warm, a cocoon of hazy pheromones wrapping around him, feeling so _good_ and yet left _so much_ to be desired. 

Jack could practically _smell_ Will’s mistaking his question for an invitation to his bed. He didn’t have the heart to correct him. 

The omega’s gaze had been so hot, so trusting, so relieved… No one had looked at him like that. Not even Bella. Bella had always been so strong, so in control of herself. And Jack had loved that about her. But Will…

Will was vulnerable. Will needed protection. 

The Alphan urge to care for and protect and serve overtook him. “Damn pheromones,” Jack murmured to himself as he guided Will back to his own vehicle. 

“Sir?” came a tinny voice over the phone that older man forgot he was holding. “Sir, do you still want to speak to a supervisor?”

Jack groaned as Will lapped at his neck in gratitude, murmuring pleasantly. “No, no, we’re going to the cabin.”

Will whined. “No, no, you said...you said we were going to your house.”

“No, Will.”

Another affectionate, pleading nuzzle. “Mm, but it will smell like you.”

“It also smells like Phyllis.”

Will scrunched his nose at that. Jack laughed warmly, making WIll melt in his arms. _Mm, yes, I want to make you laugh. Please you. Be pleased with me. Love me. Protect me._

\-------

The further they drove away from the Bureau, away from society, the more Will’s thoughts changed. His desires changed. 

“Jack,” he pleaded, when they stopped for gas, reaching for the Alpha’s wrist as he got out of the car. 

“Stay in the car, Will,” Jack ordered.

“But, I need you Jack,” he whined. “Need you so bad. Need your--”

Jack slammed the door, not trusting what he would do if he heard the remainder of that sentence. “We’ll be at the cabin in half an hour,” he shouted through the glass.

“Too looong.”

Jack shuddered. Will’s pleas were works of art. He didn’t know if he would make it to the cabin. 

Once he was back in the vehicle, driving away from prying eyes in the gas station lot, he pulled Will very close to him. The angle and position were awkward by Will seemed pleased to be close to the Alpha. Will buried his face in his shoulder to the best of his ability, moaning softly. He was burning up, squirming uncomfortably in his seat. 

Jack ran his fingers through Will’s freshly trimmed hair. He couldn’t deny he missed the curls, but the omega was handsome nonetheless. Pretty, even. 

The needy sounds emanating from the smaller man tugged at his heart. He hated to see anyone in pain, and his biology amplified that hatred when it came to omegas. Especially this omega.

Jack had severely damaged this man. He’d pushed him so far, forced him into crime scenes that made him ill, forced him to stare into the face of darkness in a way that none of them could ever manage. He’d taken this fragile man and dropped him to the lowest low. And then he’d abandoned him in his sickness. Believed that he was a murderer. Left him to rot under the care of the amateur Chilton. 

Guilt swallowing him up, he squeezed Will tighter. “Will,” he rumbled. 

Will purred in response. 

“Will, we’re going to try something. Are you listening?” Jack chuckled again when Will nipped at his ear. 

“Uh-uh.”

“Well, I need you to listen to me.”

Will shook his head. 

“I’ll make you sit in the backseat if you don’t listen.”

Will sat up with a pout on his face. “Mmm,” he whined in his throat. 

With his eyes still on the road, Jack fumbled at Will’s zipper, managing to undo it and the button of his jeans. “Be still,” Jack said softly. “I’d rather not wreck the car.” Will continued to squirm anyway. 

“Fuck,” Will gasped as Jack’s warm ( _oh god so warm_ ) palm slid over his damnably still-clothed groin. The alpha gave him a gentle squeeze. 

“I’m going to give you what you need, Will,” Jack growled, causing Will to whimper. “But you’ll have to wait.”

“But I--”

Jack shushed him sweetly. “I know.” He lightly fisted at the omega’s erection, murmuring praise and affection to the writhing omega. 

It felt _heavenly_ , and yet, it was so far from enough. It was the right pressure, the right heat, the wrong place. “Jack, please, just pull over…”

Jack shook his head, keeping his eyes on the road. “Will,” he said evenly, “I promise I’ll take care of you, but for now, I need you to be good for me so I can get us somewhere safe.” 

Will’s sane-self latched onto the word “safe.” 

Jack smelled safe. Jack smelled like a provider, a caregiver. Jack would take care of him. He’d promised. 

“Lay back,” Jack soothed. “I’m going to take good care of you. All you have to do is wait. Is this better, Will?”

Will nodded weakly, a series of whimpers catching in his throat. “Feels good, Jack.” His arousal slurred his words together. “You’re so good, Jack. You’re so warm.”

The omega was flaming hot, a gorgeous blush spreading from the exposed sliver of tummy to his collarbones to his ears. Jack kept up the slow caresses until they seemed to agitate Will more than soothe him. “When we get to the cabin,” he said in a low voice, “I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off of you. I may not even get your clothes all the way off. Oh, Will, I can’t wait. I can’t wait until I can slip inside of you. Fuck you properly.” As he spoke, his voice got rougher and less controlled. Will gripped the armrest tightly, moaning. 

“I’m so...ready. So wet.”

“I know. I can smell it.” 

“Mm, tell me I’m good, Jack,” he pleaded. “Tell me I’m doing a good job.”

Jack abruptly released Will’s cock to brush his knuckles over his cheek. A sweet gesture that nearly drove Will mad, made his chest swell with pride and love.

“You’re my good omega.” Jack’s eyes left the road for just a moment to meet Will’s. “And I can’t wait to get you into that cabin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, no, you're not losing your mind. This is not the original chapter one. Original Chapter One is now Chapter Two. Sorry, I'm an insane person.
> 
> Also, I really struggled writing the smuttier parts of this. Any (constructive) advice would be much appreciated.


	2. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Jack make their first appearance as a bonded couple at Hannibal's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally chapter one. Then I decided to add something before it.
> 
> Also, I don’t know anything about wine. I’m a beer person, and I’m not even snobby about it. I seriously just googled expensive celebratory wine. Then I decided to go with champagne.

Hannibal could smell the change even before he heard Will step out of the car. Jack’s car. It was very telling that the two had come together in one vehicle. To Jack, it may have seemed sweet and natural, even chivalric, requiring no other motive than taking care of his newly claimed omega, but Hannibal knew better. Will was sending a message. _I’m under Jack’s protection now._

Hannibal opened the door with a pleasant smile. 

“Good evening, Jack.” He purposefully greeted the larger man first, an unspoken acknowledgement that Will was now his omega, that Jack stood between Will and any enemies, threats or other potential mates that might rear their ugly heads. 

(It was customary for bonded alphas to acknowledge alphas first and bonded omegas acknowledge omegas first. The custom evolved out of the need to kerb senseless violence and jealousy in early humans. Omegas would attack other omegas and alphas other alphas when they felt their mate was in danger of being seduced. While the custom was no longer necessary, it still remained in polite company.)

Jack smiled, looking to the smaller man beside him before clapping a hand on his shoulder. Will’s gaze was focused on Hannibal with laser-like precision. I’m his now. You can’t touch me. Hannibal’s smile broadened, amused by his naivete. 

“I see you’ve come with good news,” Hannibal said after Jack returned the greeting. 

Jack smiled. “And plenty of fish.” He held up the large cooler, which he alone carried. Clearly, still showing off for his new mate. See how strong I am, Will. 

“Indeed. Please, come inside. Make yourself at home.”

He led them into the sitting room, a blaze in the fireplace eliminating the need for artificial lights. “Would you care for something to drink?” 

“Yes, actually. Let me give you a hand,” Jack said, motioning for Will to take a seat before following their host into the rather spacious kitchen. 

“This calls for something a bit more...celebratory than wine, I think. Excuse me,” the psychiatrist explained as he disappeared into the cellar. He returned with a pricey blanc de blancs champagne that Jack had never heard of. As he poured, he asked, “It’s a bit soon, isn’t it, Jack?”

“I’ve said my goodbyes. I spent the last six months pouring out my heart to her, trying to love her through her sickness, but she was too bitter. By the end, she hated me. I hope she can find peace now.”

“While I’m glad to hear that you’ve made peace with Bella’s suicide, I was actually referring to Will’s release from the hospital.” 

Jack’s face fell. “I broke him once, Hannibal. I’m going to do everything in my power to protect him now. I’ll make sure no one ever pushes him that far again.” 

“Will is still an autonomous being. Even as his alpha you cannot be completely responsible for his well-being. I thought you would have learned that with Bella.”

Jack licked his lips. “I will do everything in my power to protect him. Just as I did with Bella.”

Hannibal’s smile perfectly imitated sincerity. “Then we shall drink to a happy bonding.” He handed Jack two glasses, again purposefully acknowledging Jack’s claim to care for Will. From now on, Jack would serve Will. At least until Jack gave Hannibal permission to serve his omega. Typically though, a freshly-bound Alpha would at the very least snarl at another Alpha playing provider to his/her mate. 

Hannibal deeply resented that primal instinct and would keep it as far from his table as humanly possible. Manners. His was a civilized table, regardless of the origins of the dishes. 

Jack beamed, his face bright, almost shy and boyish. He nodded quickly at the acknowledgement. 

“Why, Jack,” Hannibal teased, “one might even say you are giddy.”

Jack started to speak but changed his mind. 

Will was staring into the fire when the two Alphas re-entered the room. Whatever Will’s intentions were in bonding with Jack, he was now bound by his biology and something in his face visibly relaxed when Jack touched his shoulder. He rested his head against his Alpha’s hand before accepting the glass. 

“Champagne?” Will murmured. “I didn’t realize we were being sentimental.”

“It’s the beauty of our nature, Will. You found someone with whom you can share your life. As your friend, or at least, as Jack’s, I would be amiss in not congratulating you.”

Even in the dim light the fire provided, Will could see his Alpha’s blush. It stirred something inside of his gut, something he had to quickly suppress lest he end up dragging Jack back out to the car for a quickie. Hannibal filled Jack’s glass and his own before handing the bottle to Jack so he could do the same for his omega. 

“While I respect your desire for privacy, I am quite interested to learn how this transpired, if you feel so accommodating.”

“I went into heat,” Will said curtly. 

Jack glared at him before his composure dropped and he chuckled. “Will came to my office.” Hannibal could deduce the details from there. 

“Ah, so this was not planned?” The question was directed at Will. _Tsk, tsk, Will, taking advantage of poor Jack like that._

Will rose to meet the challenge, though he was less delicate. “I had intended to ask Jack on the fishing trip. Nature seemed to want to rush things along.”

Jack’s hand rested on his omega’s thigh. Hannibal did not miss the pleasant shiver that shot through Will. The omega unconsciously scooted closer, his expression one of tranquility. Acceptance. 

Of course, Hannibal realized. Will Graham was not only searching for protection, but acceptance. And by accepting Hannibal’s invitation to dinner, Will was showing off that he was both protected and loved. 

Will was assuaging his own insecurities. Or rather, he was letting Jack do that for him. 

“I’m very pleased for the both of you,” Hannibal said, his pleasant smile never fading. He lifted his glass. “And now, if you’ll excuse me, I would be honored to prepare a meal for the newly bonded.” 

Will looked down at the ground, a blush blooming across his cheeks. As Hannibal left the room for the second time, Jack wrapped his arm around Will’s shoulder, pulling him in to kiss his temple. Hannibal could barely hear the contented, distinctly omegan whimper that followed.

\-------

“Truit saumonee au bleu with vegetables and broth served with a hollandaise sauce on the side,” Hannibal said as he entered the dining, apparently interrupting a flirtatious conversation if Jack’s grin and Will’s flushed face were anything to go on. 

Hannibal served the other Alpha first, then himself, before handing the tray to Jack so he could serve the omega. Jack murmured a soft ‘thank you’ before getting to his feet and hovering over Will as Hannibal waxed on about philosophy and fish. 

“Beautiful fish, Jack.”

“Will is quite the fisherman,” Jack answered, pride evident in his expression. The praise caused Will to nuzzle against his arm as he finished serving the broth. Even the scrape of the rough cloth of his jacket comforted the smaller man. 

He felt warm and protected, just as he had not forty-eight hours ago in a cabin miles away from anyone else. Jack had pinned him to the floor, hands above his head, laving at his nipples and teasing the slit of his cock. Keeping his grounded. 

The feeling of Hannibal studying him with a knowing smirk on his face brought Will back to the present. Will’s stomach turned. “It was my turn to provide the meat,” he said.

Jack flicked his eyes over in Will’s direction, trying to gage his meaning. Clearly, he would need to discuss a few things with his mate. 

“I hope ‘providing the meat’ doesn’t mean you still harbor doubts about what I serve at my table.”

“No doubts, Dr. Lecter,” Jack answered before Will could. The younger man sat in silence, his face blank. “Only the, uh…wounds we dealt each other until we got to the truth.”

Internally, Will cringed. How was his Alpha so blind? _The wounds I dealt were intended to kill,_ he thought. _I failed._

Hannibal shot Will another knowing smirk. “Which is why we need to move past apologies and forgiveness. Chilton has many victims besides the dead. We will absorb this experience. It will change us. It has already changed you,” Hannibal said, motioning to the bite marks on WIll’s neck, just barely peeking over his collar. Will wanted to snarl, to cover the healing flesh from the offending Alpha’s eyes. How dare such a monster look upon such a...sacred mark. How dare the man who betrayed him, used him to cover his crimes so much as mention something as perfect as a bonding. Will had implicitly trusted the doctor as both a psychiatrist and an Alpha, and by destroying the trust, he’d lost the privilege to reference the evidence that WIll was now truly desired and loved. 

And protected.

Hannibal continued, sincerity dripping from his voice as he faced Jack Crawford. “The greatest crime now would be to walk away from what we’ve shared and suffered.”

Will gritted his teeth, blood pounding in his ears.

“In many ways, we need each other.”

Will’s nostrils flared. Hannibal was NOT the Alpha he needed. Hannibal had no place in his life or in Jack’s. 

“We are the only one’s who will know what this feels like.”

Jack offered Hannibal an apologetic half-smile, patting his arm before digging into the trout. 

“No,” Will wanted to snap, “God, no, don’t get the scent of death on you.” Instead, he said, “This fish is delicious.”

The Alpha hummed, pleased. “Isn’t it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll keep adding as the ideas come to me. 
> 
> Stroke my ego?


	3. "Are You Going to Try to Kill Him Again?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Jack have non-heat sex. This chapter is totally skippable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, in this universe, Alpha's don't knot outside of heat, but Omegas may or may not self-lubricate outside of heat. Will does, as evidenced by the chapter below. 
> 
> Also, Will is very conflicted. 
> 
> This is all smut. I'm sorry. You can skip it if you want. I actually really suck at smut. Helpful comments are appreciated.

Will shuddered at the sight of the Alpha lounging in his bed, Buster snoring softly beside him. His mate and his pack under one roof. Perfection. Revelling in the comforting sensation of his Egyptian cotton robe and flannel pajama bottoms, Will beamed. 

This was a perfect moment. What he had dreamed of with Alana. 

Will climbed on top of Jack, loosening his robe, before Jack put his hands up to stop him so that he was now straddling his hips, sitting up straight. 

Jack took note of the confused and slightly hurt look on the omega’s face. “Will, tell me honestly. Do you believe Hannibal Lecter is the Ripper?”

The omega’s eyes darted about the room, avoiding Jack’s probing gaze. 

“Will?” Jack prompted.

“Yes,” Will admitted in a whisper. He could feel Jack’s body shift, a sign of mild irritation and disappointment. Will’s chest felt heavy, his shoulders sagging. “Don’t-don’t be mad, Jack, please. I-I’m just being honest.”

Jack carded his warm hand through Will’s hair while he studied him. Will gratefully leaned into the touch, making a show of his appreciation. 

Jack licked his lips, choosing his words carefully. “Are you going to try to kill him again?”

“No. No, Jack.”

“Will you tell me if the thought crosses your mind?”

Will nodded empathically. 

“Say it.”

“I’ll tell you if I have thoughts about killing Hannibal.”

Jack’s face softened. “Good man,” he purred. Almost immediately, he switched gears. He tugged Will down so that their chests were pressed together. “I’ve been laying here in your bed,” he said lowly, his voice rough and gravelly, “enjoying the smell of you. Even though you’ve changed your sheets, it still smells like the heats you’ve spent alone.” His words became a growl. “And the heats you’ve spent with other Alphas. Few Betas too.” Will looked up to see the cheeky grin plastered on his face. “I’d like to remedy that.” His large hands ran up and down the backs of Will’s thighs before tugging at the sloppy knot that kept the robe closed. 

HIs heart racing, Will shrugged the article of clothing off, his breath catching when Jack’s fingers ghosted over the trail of hair below his navel. 

“Beautiful,” murmured Jack. 

Will blushed, hips threatening to grind down on Jack’s hardening length. “Mm, still sore, Jack.”

“Does that mean stop?”

Will shook his head. “Means...mind the bruises.” Now it was his turn to grin.

Jack chuckled. “You like it.” He ground his hips up against Will’s, pleased to see he was having the desired effect on his omega. 

Will moaned. “Mm, yes.” Another pleasant shudder shot through him as Jack’s impressive length tented his pants. Arousal flooded his stomach, turning his limbs to jelly. A nervous giggle escaped his throat. Frantically, he stripped Jack and himself of their pajamas, not even bothering to throw them off the bed. In return, Jack pulled Will in for a brain-melting kiss. 

“What do you want, Will?”

“Uh,” Will panted, “don’t tease…”

“Tell me, Will.”

Will swallowed thickly. “Fuck me. Slowly.”

Jack smirked. They had spent the three days fucking furiously, chasing mind-blowing orgasm after mind-blowing orgasm, goaded on by pheromones. Will’s hips and thighs were from Jack (gloriously) fierce pounding into him, holding him down to signify Will needed to do nothing--only to be filled. His Alpha’s strong arms and hands restraining him had been freeing. He had no option but to focus on his own pleasure. 

Their coupling had been fast and fierce and graceless. All id.

And now, Will wanted something softer, safer. Proof that his Alpha had his best interests at heart.

Jack’s warm black eyes met gray ones as he palmed over Will’s lower back, goosebumps rippling across his skin. Will immediately looked away, unnerved by the intensity and intimacy of the gaze. 

“Look at me,” Jack rumbled, guiding Will’s chin so that their eyes locked. Forcing himself to maintain that burning gaze, Will felt arousal slicking down the back of his thighs. Jack’s lips met his again, tongue sliding against one another, Jack’s teeth grazing Will’s bottom lip with a throaty sound. The omega bucked involuntarily, his cock spreading presum over the Alpha’s, easing the friction of skin-on-skin. 

Jack’s hands shuffled down to Will’s ass, which was littered with dark blue fingerprint-shaped bruises amongst the lighter bruises. Growling again, Jack laved at Will’s neck, kissing and nipping at the healing bitemark. Will panted, his nerves urging him to get more kisses, more touches. 

With great care, Jack rolled Will onto his back, focusing his attention on Will’s collarbone. His kisses moved lower, then, to the soft definition of muscle in the center of his chest. Before Will was aware what his body was doing, his legs were wrapped around Jack’s waist, keeping him snugly in place, their erections now in constant contact. 

“Such a pretty boy,” Jack murmured as he kissed Will’s tummy. “And you’re all mine, aren’t you, Will?” There was no possessiveness in his voice, only affirmation that he wanted Will, desired him. 

Another twitch of the hips. Will whimpered, nodding. 

Jack moved back up Will’s torso, sucking at a nipple, intentionally making Will squirm beneath him. The bud hardened, and Jack closed his teeth around it, no hard, just enough to draw a strangled cry from Will. He provided the same treatment to the other nipple, moving back and forth until Will was a writhing, needy mess of lust.

Will was needy, yearning for relief...for intimacy. He was rewarded with a thick, hot finger probing his entrance, circling the muscle to gather up the natural lubricant. The omega arched up, urging the Alpha in deeper. 

The digit was soon joined by a second, sliding in deeper and stretching Will, though there wasn’t much resistance. Will’s hips ground against the ministrations, trying desperately to guide them to that one _sweet_ spot. 

“Settle down,” teased Jack, with the same boyish grin. “You said you wanted to go slow.”

Will whimpered again, willing his body to relax and his hips to remain still as the man above him massaged his insides, skirting around the edges of that little point of pleasure. He screwed his eyes shut.

Jack’s lips were on his again, a sweet, almost innocent kiss passing between them. Will’s blood pounded in his ears, and his breathing quickened with every circular tracing of his prostate. He thrust up his Alpha, his Jack, his protector, another cry being ripped from his throat. And the friction was almost enough to push him over the edge. He might have come then if Jack hadn’t suddenly left him empty. 

Quite the multi-tasker, Jack continued to kiss Will as he lined himself up with his hole. Will whined as the larger cock teased the wet skin of the fleshier parts of his butt. His entire body seemed to light up in anticipation. 

The majority of Jack’s weight came to rest on Will as the Alpha penetrated him, much slower than the first time, spreading him so deliciously, dredging up the memories of the heat they’d shared. Jack rocked his hips back and forth...and back and forth, his timing slow and even and _oh so perfect_.

Will’s body was smouldering, like a small fire that never quite reached the status of “flame”, just hot coals burning. Consistent. Enough. His cock was trapped between their bodies, lining both of their stomachs with precome, the sensation beckoning Will closer to orgasm. 

His heart swelled at the sweet sounds his Alpha made as he fucked him. “Such a good Alpha,” Will panted, keeping his eyes closed. Before Jack could reply, Will kissed him, with the same slow-burning precision. 

Jack’s motions never took on a sense of urgency, the pleasure and pressure of the motions slowly consuming Will, arousal building and building until finally the omega shattered, coming with a loud whine. 

Jack followed silently, pinning Will in below him, keeping him still. He wiped a bead of sweat from Will’s temple, wishing he would open his eyes, look at him. Will’s eyes remained shut. 

Unspoken words hung heavy in the air. “I love you, Will,” he didn’t say. 

Will faced away.

Jack’s heart ached. _Another time then._

He could hope.


	4. Up for Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conversations between Jack and Hannibal, and later Hannibal and Alana.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I should point out that a lot of the dialogue actually comes from the episode. As in, dialogue that seems familiar is probably not written by me. I'm just changing the nuances. As I said, this is an ABO interpretation of "Su-zakana."

In the close confines of the stable, those who fell into the extreme dynamics of the gender spectrum (Alphas and Omegas) could smell the difference. Jack concealed Will’s scent well, but the newly bonded scent was still barely detectable. Brian, an omega, sensed it and texted his suspicions to Jimmy. Jimmy had only glared in response.

Hannibal and Jack hovered over the recently de-wombed horse and the body of a young Beta woman, digesting the that she had been strangled before she was sewn inside a horse. 

“This is every bit as much about giving life as it is taking it,” Hannibal concluded from the scene. 

Jack stepped forward. “What’s the thinking here, Doctor?”

“Conflicted,” Hannibal answered. “I see what he’s done. I don’t understand why he’s done it.” He smiled softly. Aside from having accused him of murder and leaving him to rot in Chilton’s playhouse less than a year ago, Jack had new reasons for not inviting Will to crime scenes unless absolutely necessary, and the good doctor was well-aware. Jack didn’t want the following: a, Will to feel he was being shown off as an object; b, Will to feel that he was robbing him of his autonomy; c, to explain why he had bonded so soon after Bella’s death. 

Hannibal continued after studying Jack briefly. “This killer doesn’t think like anyone else, Jack. You’ll have to find someone who doesn’t think like anyone else to catch him.” 

Brian noticed the knowing smile that the psychiatrist offered the Special Agent-in-Charge, and the pained expression Jack returned. 

“Oh my God,” Jimmy gasped, jumping to his feet. “It’s Will. Oh my God, you bonded with Will.”

Brian shot up, too. “Wait, what? How did you smell that before I did?”

“I didn’t! Just look at Jack’s face. Hell, look at Doc’s.”

Brian covered his mouth after a quick examination. “Oh my God.” He looked at Jimmy then back at Jack. “I can smell it now. Oh my God, he smells like Will.”

Hannibal cleared his throat, displeased with their rather crass reactions. Jack leaned in to murmur, “They’re usually like this.” He sighed and rubbed his eyes before retrieving his cellphone. “I’ll bring him in tomorrow. There’s not much more we’ll get done tonight.”

Hannibal kept his eyes on the two techs, clearly still irritated. At least Ms. Katz had been pleasant. A pity she had to die. 

Half an hour later, found Jack exiting the barn, purposefully ignoring a call from Bella’s mother. _Phyllis,_ he reminded himself. _Her name was Phyllis._ (Her mother had always ignored the time zone differences between the East and West Coast. Jack refused to take calls from her after 10 on principal.) He looked up to see Hannibal Lecter standing beside the Bureau-issued SUV. 

“Don’t you have a beautiful woman waiting for you at your house, Doctor?” Jack asked, his smile a tired one, but sincere. 

“Yes, but I wanted to talk to you about Will. You seem uncomfortable bringing him to this particular crime scene. I hope you don’t believe that keeping him out of dark places—”

Jack cut him off. “No. Will’s strong. And we haven’t really talked about that aspect of our…relationship yet. My concern is how others will perceive us. How they’ll perceive him.”

Hannibal remained silent, hoping to draw more from Jack. 

“I never thought of Will as anything but a consultant, and then a murderer. How will it look to my superiors and my staff if I bring him in? Will they presume he’s using me to avoid further investigation while still getting work?”

Hannibal kept his face even. “Do you think he’s capable of that?”

Jack’s shoulder visibly sagged. “I’m not sure. Sometimes I wonder if I actually know who he is.”

“What changed your mind about his status as a killer?”

“Seeing his pain when he said goodbye to Beverly Katz.”

Hannibal mulled this over. “You’re also afraid you’ll be accused of favoritism. And as he is now under your protection, you feel obligated to keep doubts about his sanity and his competence away from him.”

“Will can handle it. I don’t know if I can.”

Hannibal folded his arms. “Bring him in, Jack. I think you’ll be surprised how strong you both are.”

\-------

The smell of sex hung heavy in the air. Alana curled her body against her lover’s, her breath still coming in shallow bursts. 

“I’m not complaining,” she said, “but part of me suspects we ended up here to avoid where our conversation was going.”

Hannibal chuckled lightly, rubbing her shoulder as she smoothed his chest hair. “As long as you’re not complaining.” His accent, Alana discovered, often thickened after sex, the result of post-orgasmic reward chemicals. However, the more primitive side of her liked to think she’d fucked him into partial incoherence. In that way, it was almost like she had claimed the Alpha. 

Alana smirked and snuggled in close against his pliant body. “Too much has happened for us not to talked about this. However pleasant the distraction.”

Hannibal took a deep breath. “I am recovering from all that has happened. Judging by Will’s mark, he’s doing the same. He is trying to move past his feelings for you, and it seems you’re recovering from the anger you felt towards Will.” He stared down his nose at her, giving her a fond look. “I would change many things, but not that we ended up here. Or that Will is back in therapy.”

Alana propped herself up on her elbows to look him in the eye. “The only thing stranger than finding a woman inside a horse…is seeing you back in therapy with Will Graham.”

Hannibal averted his eyes to focus on the ceiling. “Is it really so strange?”

“Well, for one thing, I’m surprised Jack would allow his new ‘fragile’ mate to be alone in a room with an unbonded Alpha. Especially when you’ve been intimate enough for one of you to try to kill the other.”

“Jack is a very progressive Alpha. He loves Will, and I worry that Will is abusing the situation. Perhaps that is my ulterior motive: protecting Jack from Will.”

“Shouldn’t the patient come first?”

Hannibal thought a moment. “Do you know why Will tried to kill me? It wasn’t to avenge Beverly Katz’s death. It was to prevent yours. He was protecting you in the only way he felt he had left in him.”

Alana let that settle over her, making her stomach turn. “I thought you said he was--”

“Recovering. He’s still in the process.”

“How could Will do that? Use Jack like that?”

“Will is only trying to survive now. You can’t fault him for that. I doubt he realizes it but he’s using Jack to protect him from himself, not just outside forces.”

She was quiet again. “I’m afraid Will opened a door inside himself, and no one know it is closed again. Especially not Will.”

“I like to believe Jack will keep him check.” Hannibal swallowed. “But it’s healthy he’s back in therapy. With a good psychiatrist.”

Alana laughed, appeased but unconvinced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you go. Again, DIALOGUE FROM THE SHOW IS NOT MY OWN.
> 
> I hope the conversations flow smoothly.
> 
> Comments are nice. I like them.


	5. Hannibal's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will investigates Peter Bernardone, as well as his motivations for bonding with Jack. Hannibal continues to plant seeds of doubt inside Will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um...there's a lot to say. It was really hard to write the part where Jack and Will interview Peter. I've been going back and rewatching season 2 episodes on OnDemand, and I can't quite figure out where everyone stands. Hannibal was ready to abandon Will when Will tried to kill him, and yet he seems so keen on helping him grow as a killer, so it's been hard to write this. I'm definitely taking some liberties with the characters here, so sorry about that. I wanted to stay true to the episode but I may have strayed.
> 
> I'm trying to carve these emotions out of these characters, and I hope it seems organic, not forced.

Jack watched the various emotions playing across Will’s face as the omega disappeared into his mind, recreating the crime. He’d seen this several times, of course, but this was the first he’d ever had to stop himself from grabbing Will, from dragging him out of the darkness and back to himself. Back to Jack, where he belonged. 

Jack jumped when Will offered, “It was a coffin birth.”

Until that point in their relationship, Jack had never noticed how quickly Will came out of his trance-like observation, and so he’d never considered how jarring it must be to jump from the killer’s mind back to one’s own mind. Jack had the luxury of seeing a crime scene slowly, absorbing it and letting the pieces fall into place over the course of days. He had the luxury to fade in and out of a crime scenes.

_Will…_

Jack felt guilt sink through his skin to his bones to his core. How could he have been so insensitive? Why hadn’t he paid attention to the omega before now? Really paid attention? Why hadn’t he noticed how immersed in darkness he had to become in order to be what Jack needed him to be? How could anyone be expected to simply sweep into horrific scenes of death and decay, peek into the minds of murders and come out all right?

“Alphas--real alphas,” Jack’s mother had always told him, “protect others. All this talk of domination is bull. You, Jack Crawford, take care of those around you, you hear me?”

He’d failed. He hadn’t taken care of Will until Will demanded his attention. He would remedy that. He wanted desperately to pull Will to his breast and kiss him, apologize over and over again, promise him nothing would ever touch him again. He would spend the rest of his life without another crime scene. 

Without pain or doubt or fear. 

Standing back was his penance for his mistakes. Comforting Will would only soothe Jack and rob Will of any semblance of autonomy in the eyes of the others on the scene. 

“...He was familiar with the stables. He knew when he wouldn’t get caught.” Will’s voice seeped into Jack’s train of thought. “And he works here, or maybe--maybe used to work here.” Jack tried to keep his smile at bay, but the pride bubbling in his chest made it difficult. “He had medical knowledge of animals, but he’s not a veterinarian. He--he considers himself a healer.”

“How is this healing?” Jack asked. Will still didn’t meet his eyes.

“Sarah Craber was reborn. This wasn’t murder, Jack. This was grief.”

Jack nodded. “I’ll pull some records. We’ll get a list of people who work here. Or of any ‘healers’,” he tried to joke. 

Will didn’t even crack a smile. 

“Will?”

Will looked up, but his eyes still avoided Jack’s. “Hannibal was here. I smell him.”

Jack nodded. “Yes.” It wasn’t something he purposely tried to keep from Will.

“Did he insist you bring me here?”

Jack hesitated, unsure of what Will was getting at. “It was his idea, yes.”

Will snorted softly. “You don’t trust me.”

Jack steeled himself. “I don’t follow how you reached that conclusion.”

“You called the ‘good doctor’ in before you called me. Hannibal made you call me.” The pain and fury in his voice made Jack grimace. “Or did you think I wouldn’t be able to stomach the gestational overtones?”

Jack took a step forward, minding the space between his associate and himself. He bit his tongue, suppressing his rage at the omega’s accusational tone. 

“Are you ashamed of me, Jack?” His voice was softer now, his eyes focused on the ground at the Alpha’s feet. 

Jack kept his distance. He jutted his jaw to the door, urging the techs out of the stable. Once they were gone, he answered, “Will, I take full responsibility for everything that happened to you. I was selfish. I let ambition get in the way of protecting those around me. I let it get in the way of my marriage. I fucked up, and I don’t want to do that again. I _won’t_ do that again.”

“Please don’t listen to anything Hannibal says about me. He had this...idea of who I am, but his perception of me is clouded by his perception of himself.”

“Hannibal believes you’re strong enough to be here.”

“You don’t?”

“I wasn’t strong enough to bring you here. I worried about how others would react.”

“The horses foal died. That didn’t affect your hesitance at all?”

Jack half-smiled. “I suppose that says a lot about me in regards to fatherhood. I didn’t even consider it.”

Will’s shoulders sagged. “I didn’t mean to be accusatory.”

Before Jack was even aware of what he was doing, his arm was wrapped tightly around Will’s waist, bringing him in close. Will didn’t fight it. He nuzzled into the crook of Jack’s neck. 

“I’m sorry that I didn’t protect you before. But I will from now on.” He kissed the top of Will’s head. 

\-------

Will’s limbs felt loose as he sat beside Jack in the vehicle. It smelled like Jack. And Jack smelled of safety. In a way, it was like being buzzed. The pheromones pumping through him were still very new, something he wasn’t used to. Will’s eyes swept over Jack, who was talking to someone on his cell. Most likely the owner of the stable.

When Jack ended the call, Will asked, “Doesn’t it bother you that I’m regularly spending an hour of my day with an unbonded Alpha?”

“No. Should it?”

“I’m not sure. Sometimes I feel like Hannibal has laid claim to me. Like you can’t protect me because he’s too deep inside of me.”

“He’s not--”

“Don’t. Don’t treat me like I’m crazy. You said you’d protect me. In order to protect me, you need to believe me.”

Jack stroked Will’s cheek. “I’ll listen. How’s that?”

Will shuddered. “Good enough, I suppose.” He moved away from the touch. Jack felt as though he’d been kicked in the stomach. “When the encephalitis was gone--when I could think clearly, when I could remember--all I could hear was Hannibal’s voice. I couldn’t find myself for a long time. And sometimes, I can still hear him. He thinks I’m a natural-born killer. I worry he’s right.”

“This is why I didn’t want to bring you in. I put you in dark places and expect you to get out on your own.” He squeezed Will’s thigh.

“You can’t protect me from that, Jack.”

“No, but I can try to bring you out of it, back to yourself. You’re a good man, Will. You’re my good man.”

Will blushed. Without looking at Jack, he intertwined their fingers so that they held hands as they made their way to their next person of interest.

\-------

Will bristled at the scent of unbonded omega. He unconsciously tightened his hold on Jack’s hand when they parked at the home of Peter Bernardone. Jack half-smiled at the action, but chose not to acknowledge it. 

The silence was shattered when Jack knocked, causing the animals inside to bark and squawk, expressing their displeasure at the intrusion.

Will entered the wooden structure ( _home? work? how could anyone live here?_ ) first, purposefully standing between his Alpha and the omega. A social approach to a professional situation. Jack studied Will, trying to understand his actions. 

There were two sets of rules in a multi-dynamic, multi-gendered world, and while there was some discussion about what was appropriate and what was archaic and unnecessary, generally the rules were agreed upon and abided by. In social situations, such as dinner with Hannibal Lecter, Alphas acknowledged Alphas and omegas acknowledged omegas. Betas abided by no such rules since they generally didn’t pose a threat in terms of stealing a bondmate. Of course, these rules generally fell by the wayside with friends and families. In professional situations, though, like investigations, Beta rules typically applied. Rank surpassed dynamic, and in regards to manners, Jack should be introducing Will. 

Instead, Will said, “Peter Bernardone?” His voice was soft. Jack focused in on him, trying to catch his eye. 

“Scare them when you knock like that.”

“Sir?” Jack could sense something was off about this man. He froze, letting Will close in on the suspect.

Will sniffed quietly. Jack frowned, but held his tongue. “I’m Will Graham. This is Agent Jack Crawford with the FBI. We’re here to ask you some questions about someone you may have had contact with when you worked at the Blackbriar Stables. A woman named Sarah Craber.” Will paused, gaging Peter’s reaction. Peter avoided eye contact. 

_He’s been near an Alpha. Recently. Neither are bonded._ Will furrowed his brows, searching for an explanation as to why the scent bothered him. No, it wasn’t the scent specifically. There was something else...something was wrong. Had Peter murdered an Alpha? The lack of eye contact, the inherently submissive posture told him that wasn’t the case. 

“Her body was recently found in unusual circumstances,” Will continues, tilting his head to read Peter’s expression. 

“I know,” Peter answered, looking away. He didn’t seem comforted by Will’s more casual approach to the interview. “I heard.”

“There was a bird in her chest.” Jack’s voice was rougher than Will’s, causing Peter to lurch forward, like he was going to bolt. But he didn’t. He stayed. “Did you hear about that?”

“Was the bird alive?”

Will’s smile was gentle. “Yes.”

“Who--who--who taking care of the bird?” 

\-------

Jack was convinced of Peter’s guilt as he exited the building, trusting that Will was behind him. 

“Well, he knew the victim. He knew the animals involved. But he’s...scared. Something’s frightened him.”

“We’ll need a warrant.”

“I don’t know if he’s the killer, Jack. If he is, he never meant to be. And if he isn’t, he knows who is.”

Jack chewed at his lip. “What is he afraid of?”

“I don’t know. But he feels threatened.”

“Because we’re on to him. He knows it’s a matter of time.”

“No, it’s...more than that.” Will stopped just outside of the vehicle, looking at Jack. “But you don’t agree.”

“It’s not that I don’t agree. I think because you were wrongly accused, you are going to be prone to believing that others are innocent. Because of that, professionally, I have to take your opinions with a grain of salt.”

\-------

“You’ve been reborn,” Hannibal countered, his arrogant smirk only barely noticeable. 

“Wasn’t that the goal of my therapy?”

The smirk broadened. “How does it feel consulting again with Jack Crawford and the FBI? By bonding with Jack, you’ve only made yourself more vulnerable to his will, and last time he nearly destroyed you.”

“ _You_ nearly destroyed me.”

Hannibal looked at his hands folded in his lap. _So clever, Will. Such conviction. A pity you’ve bonded with someone as mediocre as Jack Crawford._ “After everything that has happened, Will, you still believe--”

“Stop right there,” the omega snapped, his eyes, previously so avoidant of another’s gaze, focused on the doctor’s. He was staring into the darkness. Hannibal was pleased. “You may have to pretend, but I don’t.”

“No, you don’t,” Hannibal grinned. “Not with me. Perhaps with Jack, with Alana, but never with me.”

Will felt sick suddenly. _“In many ways, we need each other.”_ Hannibal’s words bounced around his skull. He gritted his teeth. He didn’t need Hannibal. He didn’t need validation of what he knew to be true. And still doubt lingered, gnawing at him, at the base of his spine making him shiver. Could Jack protect him? Or were Hannibal’s claws too far in? Was he capable of what Hannibal believed him to be?

He sat up straight, maintaining eye contact, fingers gripping the armrests of his chair. “I don’t expect you to admit anything. You can’t. But I prefer sins of omission to outright lies, Dr. Lecter. Don’t lie to me.”

Hannibal’s smile made him feel smaller. He wanted to curl up in the chair. He wanted Jack. “Will you return the courtesy? Why have you bonded with Jack Crawford?”

Will’s mouth snapped shut. “Sins of omission, Doctor.”

“Then shall I share my thoughts?”

“This is my session, not yours.”

Hannibal noted Will’s posture and stance morph from the defensive to the offensive. He wondered how he would react if he continued to push. “I think you have bonded with Uncle Jack for protection. You believe he may have turned against you before, but if you can make him love you--if you can make someone love you--you’ll be safe. You won’t be locked away again, even if you try to kill me or anyone else. It’s strategic, Will.”

Will found he couldn’t breathe. 

“Which begs the questions: Why have you resumed your therapy?”

“Can’t just talk to any psychiatrist about what’s kicking round my head.”

“You believe me to be what you interpret as a monster, and yet you come to me for healing.”

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

“I’m not your enemy Will. You believe that I am, but I think you also understand and accept what I can offer you. You’re blossoming, Will. You believe Jack can protect you from yourself, but you still come to me. You always come to me in times of doubt.”

“You’re implying that I need you more than I need Jack. I tried to kill you, Hannibal.” Will purposely used his first name.

“Do you fantasize about killing me?”

Tremors started in his hands and spread through his limbs. His eyes burned. “Yes,” he admitted.

“And you believe Jack will protect you from that side of yourself. Or that he’ll shield you from the consequences. Tell me, how would you do it?”

The fight left Will’s face. “With my hands.”

“Then we haven’t moved past apologies and forgiveness, have we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, lately I've been thinking that I'm actually a terrible writer. I met with an old professor today who told me that that thought is raging hubris talking. No one has read my writing, so to assume that it's bad is to say that my opinion is 100% correct. 
> 
> Well, I know y'all are reading it, but if you're like me you're dredging through the ABO tag for desperate sex. So, hey, if you have actually read it, I AM SO SORRY THAT I AM A TERRIBLE WRITER.
> 
> Oh! And one more thing! *spoiler alert...I guess*
> 
>  
> 
> I WAS SO RELIEVED WHEN FREDDIE WASN'T DEAD. Thank God, Will, I was going to be so upset with you if you actually killed her. Good man, Will, good man.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave helpful and nice comments for +1 karma.


End file.
